


Divided we Burn

by TheGreyWriter



Category: RWBY
Genre: Amputee, Angst, Canon Universe, Canonical Character Death, Comfort/Angst, Cybernetics, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hospital, Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers, fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 05:37:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6040237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreyWriter/pseuds/TheGreyWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Major Spoilers for RWBY Volume 3:</p><p>With team RWBY divided across the world, the girls and their friends struggle to overcome the events of the Battle for Beacon. Running away, hiding away and forced away from the world they all must find the strength inside to gather themselves back together before they can reform their team. However, alone they can do nothing but fall further into darkness. Only with the guidance of their elders can they learn to overcome their own issues. These are the stories of the elders and the youngsters they help guide back to the path of light and hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Picking up the Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: A series born out of my own thoughts about the ramifications of last volume. So far I plan to do one for Yang and Weiss too but I don't know about Ruby. Maybe something with her catching Qrow following team RNJR? Either way Yang will probably be next.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Out beyond the newly established Vale City line, towards the grimm infested Beacon Academy, two huntresses meet on a cold winter’s night for tea and a talk about how they are both coping with what they lived through. The oldest of the pair has some advice for the younger one but whether she will follow it or not is left uncertain.

**Chapter 1:** Picking up the Pieces

Glynda Goodwitch shivered as she huddled closer to the blazing fire place of the half caved in building. Glancing out the gaping hole in the wall she looked up into the night sky and upon the horizon spied Beacon. The ruins of the school sat silently up on that cliff. They were bathed in the murky fog that seemed to ever surround the monstrous grimm that was forever sealed atop the damaged tower. Once upon a time Glynda had looked upon that tower with hope and pride but now it symbolised nothing more than defeat and loss. Everything was gone from her world. The school was just the one that hit hardest.

Ozpin was missing. Peter and Bartholomew had gone back into the field. With no school to attend all the students had left. Even Qrow and James were gone. Qrow off to God knows where and James called back to Atlas. Glynda had considered leaving herself. Either joining her former colleagues in the field once more or going to teach at Signal. She had heard Qrow’s position was left vacant. But Glynda remained here. There were things here that she still had to do. Things that would not let her leave this place. Not yet. Try as she might she could not leave them unfinished. That was her major fault. Her inability to leave anything broken and incomplete like Beacon now was.

It was foolish really of her to think she could fix things alone. Glynda would be the first to admit that the prospect of retaking Beacon and setting things back to the way they had been before, the way they should be, was beyond impossible. Especially since it was just her here alone. There were others about. Other huntsmen and huntresses, Vale City guards and even a few Vale military detachments here keeping an eye on the grimm still massing around the school. At any moment these beasts might turn their eye on Vale so it was wise to be ready should they have to defend the City again. None of these other people though, ventured as close to Beacon as Glynda did. She knew that although the school could not be retaken the least she could do was fix up the damage so that when the day came that they could take back the school at least things would be ready for them to move back in.

She feared that day would never come and yet her mind, though rational as ever, refused to let her leave here without finishing at least what she could. Not that she seemed to be able to do much at the moment. The little she managed to fix just seemed to fall apart. There were so many pieces to pick up and some days Glynda felt it was too much even for her to handle. As winter had started to settle in she felt less and less at home here. Truthfully this place had stopped being her home the moment the students left. Despite how strict she had been with them they had been the life blood of this place. Even with the grimm here it was their lacking that left her feeling out of place. The quite night air was interrupted by a faint sound. A slight creak amongst the sounds of the crackling fire. A foot step out in the dark against a wooden roof. Glynda’s eyes turned towards the familiar shadow up against the broken moon. The moment she looked upon the shadow it sunk further back out of the moonlight, trying to sneak away.

“You don’t have to leave again you know,” Glynda called to it. She had seen this shadow every so often since the first night she had set up camp here. Often it would come and watch her till she noticed it and then slink away. The first night she had spotted it she had feared a grimm sneaking up on her but the fact it had run from her proved that fear to be false. “It’s much warmer in here by the fire.” The shadow seemed to pause, once more looking upon her but at least now it was not running again. A sharp whistle from inside Glynda’s ruined house/camp made the shadow jump. “And now I have tea brewed too. So if you want to join me…”

That seemed to seal the deal, for the shadow jumped down from the roof of the building across the street and stalked it’s way over towards the hole in the side of the house. Glynda placed her hand on her riding crop by her side, just in case she had misjudged the shadow’s intentions. Her grip relaxed as the shadow came into the light of her fire, climbing in through the hole in the wall. “Miss Belladonna. I had hoped that was you,” Glynda said as her eyes looked upon the girl. She appeared no worse for wear. A few scratches, a lot more dirt under her fingernails and her hair was a mess but those seemed to be just from living rough for the last month or so. Her gaze though was a lot less upcast then it once had been. In many ways she reminded Glynda of the same young girl that Ozpin had shown her when he had first been considering her for admission into the school. A little wild around the edges but mellow and serious. Only now she seemed damn right depressed and sombre. Glynda could see it in those sad looking eyes.

The same eyes that now stared at her as she stood upon the worn carpet of what had once been someone’s living room. Her body language spoke as if she was about to bolt at any moment. “Please have a seat Miss Belladonna,” Glynda said shifting down from the couch and squatting by the fire place as she reached out to the teapot that sat precariously above the fire. “Tea will be ready soon.”

She could hear Miss Belladonna lightly step towards her and take a seat upon the very edge of the couch armrest. Glynda could feel the tension the poor girl carried as if it was liquid metal filling the air between them. “It’s warmer closer to the fire,” Glynda said as she took a pair of china cups from the side of the fire place. She had hunted down the little pieces to these cups from the ruins of her favourite tea shop not two blocks down the road from here. Fixing the pair of them had been easy, yet, somehow she felt a lot more tired than she usually did after using her semblance. Then again Glynda felt more tired than normal after everything these days.

“I’m fine here,” Blake said her voice soft and croaky as if she had not spoken for a long while.

“Suit yourself Miss Belladonna,” Glynda replied pouring tea into the cups. “I would offer sugar and milk but I am severely lacking both.”

“Straight tea is fine,” Blake said bowing her head.

“I suppose you’re fine too?” Glynda asked as she got back up onto the couch and offered Blake her cup.

“Yes,” Blake said taking the cup and sipping on the warm liquid. She let out a deep sigh as she drank her tea in silence. Blake had missed tea. Many times she had considered going into the main part of the City just for a taste of her favourite drink. Yet, Blake refused to venture back there. Not since her. Not since him. Not since what he did to her. It was a shame tea leaves did not grow around Vale. Blake would be the first to forage for those if they existed in the wilds around the City. “I am fine.” She said it as if saying it aloud would make it true.

“Have you been eating alright? Not running into too many grimm? Keeping warm at night?”

“I can handle myself out here,” Blake snapped, her fingers tightening around the handle of the cup.

“Good,” Glynda said. At least she could tell Blake was not lying about that. She was not fine, that was certain, but she could handle herself out here. Glynda did not know if this fact was encouraging or not. But it was something. “What about your wound? I heard what happened to you and Miss Xiao Long…”

There was a sharp intake of breath from Blake at the mention of Miss Xiao Long followed by a period of silence that during which Glynda feared Miss Belladonna would bolt off into the night. “It’s fine,” Blake finally answered before trying to drown herself in her tea once more.

“I’m sure it is but would you let be look at it just for my own piece of mind?” Glynda asked turning to face Blake. The girl looked up from her tea, biting on her bottom lip, before nodding her head. “Come down onto the couch then.” Blake shifted off the armrest and onto the couch putting her tea to the side. Glynda did the same before reaching forward to Blakes side. She saw that the girl had stitched up her shirt where it had been cut through with a fine black thread, and lifting up the side of the shirt she saw the wound had been stitched in the same thread. “Where did you get the thread?”

“My bow,” Blake said and Glynda looked up to see that the ribbon was fraying across the top. It had been picked at to secure the needed thread to fix both her clothes and roughly stich herself back together. The bow itself looked like it was going to come apart at any moment.

“I applaud your resourcefulness though your stitching skills could use some work. At least when it comes to stitching yourself up,” Glynda said her fingers softly brushing past the wound. “This looks healed. The stitches should have come out a while ago.”

“They hurt too much when I tried to remove them,” Blake admitted glancing away from Glynda.

“Would you like me to do it?” Asked the older woman and got a nod in return. “Alright. Bite down on this.” She passed Blake her riding crop. “I won’t lie to you Miss Belladonna. This is going to hurt.” Once more Blake nodded this time taking the ridding crop and resting it in her moth before biting down upon it. “Alright.” Once more Glynda ran her fingers over the wound only this time the stitching came undone. She used her semblance to move the threads, undoing them before sliding them out of the scarred skin. Blake grunted around the riding crop as the threads shifted through her skin. “Almost there Miss Belladonna. Last few ones.”

Blake relaxed and let out a sigh as the last of the stitching came out. She pulled the riding crop from her mouth only to find it covered in her own saliva. She wiped it on her shirt before handing it back to Glynda. Looking down at her side she saw the scar clear as daylight against her fair skin. It was an eyesore but it looked a lot better than when she had first stitched it up. Now that was a painful night. “Thank-you,” Blake said pulling her shirt back down.

“Anytime Miss Belladonna,” Glynda said putting her riding crop back in her boot. “Now that you are sufficiently on the mend, I believe you said you were fine?”

“I am,” Blake said turning back to her tea.

“I see,” Glynda said picking up her own tea and sipping upon it. “That’s very bold of you to claim. Because I’m not.”

This peeked Blake’s interest, her bow twitching as she looked over at Glynda. “Oh?” Blake murmured still sipping at her tea.

“I don’t know a huntress or huntsman that would be okay after what happened, except you apparently,” Glynda said giving Blake a sidelong look. “Our whole lives changed that night. We lost so many good people. Professor Ozpin, Miss Nikos and so many others.” She turned her gaze towards the still blazing fire. “But it’s us survivors that have to live with the scars. We have to live with their deaths and carry on knowing our own actions could be responsible for those deaths or worse… responsible for the pain of other survivors.” Blake felt a jolt of phantom pain from the scar upon her abdomen. The place where Adam had stabbed her right before he really scarred her heart. “I never should have left his side…”

The last few words Glynda spoke were muffled as she brought her tea cup up to her lips but Blake heard them with her faunus ears even under her bow. “And I never should of let him hurt her,” Blake whispered back as she turned to face the fire. There was a long silence between them as they sat there finishing off their tea. Finally Blake asked, “What do we do?”

Glynda turned to Blake and took a while to consider her answer. Should she sugar coat the answer for the child by her side or should she tell her the truth? She realised quickly that any child that needed an answer to what to do after the mess they had just lived through was not a child at all. At least not any more. Their innocents and naivety was long gone. Maybe even before all this for Miss Belladonna. “I don’t know,” Glynda answered honestly. “I really don’t know what we should do but I know what I am going to do. I’m going to find out what to do next. But first before I figure that out I need to settle things here. I need to do what I always do. I need to pick up the pieces. Maybe that’s what you need to do too. Pick up the pieces Miss Belladonna. Rebuild yourself how you want to be. How you need to be. But not what they want us to be. Never what they, those that truly hurt us, would like us to be. That would make the sacrifices of the dead, and living alike, pointless. It would dishonour them.”

There was another moment of silence between them before Blake put down her cup and got up from the couch. “Thanks for the tea Miss Goodwitch,” Blake said turning to leave. “I’ll think about what you said.”

“Yes, do that but before you go,” Glynda said reaching into her pocket. Blake turned to face her once more. She produced a long ribbon made of the same material as her cape. It was black on one side and purple on the other. “Here. That ratty old bow looks like it could give away at any moment. Take this with you. Something tells me you would prefer to keep those under wraps, at least for now.” Blake nodded silently and took the ribbon before disappearing off into the night. Glynda turned back to the fire and watched as the flames grew lower. “Good luck Miss Belladonna.” Lying back on the couch she thought back to happier times and shed a few tears before falling asleep. Deep down something told her that Miss Belladonna would be returning to her camp here tomorrow and many nights afterwards. If not for the company of the only other huntress outside the new Vale City line than at least for the tea.


	2. To Feel Whole Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young huntress, struck down before her prime, views the world through a window from her bed. As the season changes she becomes nothing more than a hollow shell of her former self. But when an unlikely visitor comes to force her out of bed, can she be made whole again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: In preparation for this chapter I tried to spend a whole day using only my left arm (I am right handed) and barely lasted a few hours going about my normal day. Suffice to say, I cannot even imagine the pain of losing such an important part of myself but this is my best attempt to try and vocalise what Yang might be going through. Remember this is just the very start of her recovery, we may yet see more but I am still undecided if I will continue this after Weiss, who is up next.

**Chapter 2:** To Feel Whole Again

The window had quickly become her point of view looking out into the world for Yang Xiao Long. All she did now days was look out that foggy glass into the snowy fields below her. Her eyes hardly strayed from it as she sat in bed. Yet, she did not actually see anything out there. Yes she noticed the red eyed bird sitting in the tree (Was it a crow or a raven?) she saw the season change, orange leaves fall and snow cover the ground, she saw Ruby leave along with the surviving members of team JNPR and she watched her father chase after them only to return later that evening empty handed and more hollow than ever before. But Yang did not see, not really. She noticed it all but not on the level she used to. Not in the same way she did back when she was whole.

Maybe it was because she had become numb to the world around her after the Battle of Beacon or it might be because by looking at the world but ignoring it she somehow willed away the pain. Either way she knew the cause of this sudden detachment from reality. All she had to do was glance to her right. Look not at what was there, but rather what was not and she felt it all over again. She heard that voice cry out in her ear once more, she turned to see that horrifying scene from her nightmares and then became blinded by her rage again. Only the next thing she knew was not the satisfying impact of a face against her fist but the burning hot metal through her flesh, bone and muscle. She did not remember the pain after that. In fact, she did not remember much at all after that. Only the feeling of warm fingers intertwined with her own. Another hand clutching at Yang’s remaining hand. Holding onto it as if the world was burning.

She remembered at the time that hand bringing a small amount of comfort to her as she lay defeated on the cold floor, bleeding into a tight bandage. Now the memory of it only brought sadness and loss. It was another part of her that was missing. A part that she had lost and that had destroyed any shroud of wholeness she could have salvaged. Before Ruby had left she had been the only spark of light here for Yang. Yes, she had pointedly ignored and talked down her sister any time they had interacted but despite that Ruby had remained the sister Yang loved. She had done all she could to try and bring a little light back into Yang’s dull world, for she knew her sister was hurting and in typical Ruby fashion refused to give up on her. Sometimes Yang wondered if their semblances had been mixed up at birth. If anyone could get knocked down and get back up again stronger it was Ruby, not Yang. Just look at her now. She hardly left her own bed for more than a few minutes a day. She was pathetic and Yang hated herself for being that way. Why could she not be strong like Ruby?

Of course that was a whole other issue. One that Yang pushed away from her and resumed staring out the glass barrier between herself and the outside world. She knew that sitting here like this would not do her any good but truth be told Yang did not care anymore. It did not help that her father did nothing to stop this self-destructive action, or rather lack of action. He was more than happy to wait on her hand and foot. Bringing her meals, that she chewed at but barely ate, leaving her alone when she often requested of him, helping her go to the bathroom and dealing with every little action Yang needed to remain alive. But not forcing her to actually live her life. Just remain static and immobile. Hell he even dressed her of a morning and night. Not that Yang could not manage that with only one arm. But the sheer amount of extra effort and frustration she had to endure was a burning reminder of her loss. Often before when he had allowed her to dress herself he would find her half-dressed and lying on her bed in tears rubbing at the stump of an arm that remained. As if willing for it to return.

After Ruby left both father and daughter became worse. They became hollower than ever. Taiyang stopped trying to talk to her and she stopped even hoping that one day she could get out of bed for more than five minutes. They became a pair of hollowed out robots. He still cared for her, attending to all her needs, and she still allowed him to, but now in silence with barely a look given between them. The one thing Yang did notice once Ruby left was the sunflower by her side wilted away. She knew her father had originally put that there when she first came home but she was never sure if it was him or Ruby that kept replacing it when it started to die while Yang slept. Either it had been Ruby all along or her father had given up on the flower after the departure of his only daughter that was more than a hollow mess. Then again maybe there were no more sunflowers to replace it with winter setting in like it had now.

Yang shivered at the mere thought of the cold snow outside before lying back down in her bed and pulling up her blankets. She lay on her back with her head turned towards the window, still watching the outside world and never truly seeing it. Beyond that window anything could happen and Yang doubted she would notice it. An air ship could literally fly right past her window, land in her front yard, open to admit a black haired gentleman, and Yang would not notice it. The man could then walk right up to the door of her house, bang on the wood a little harder than what most would deem appropriate, this causing Zwei to start barking and jumping at the door, then her father would go to answer the door before a shouting match began with the man at the door, and Yang would still not notice. The shouting match would continue for a short while before the man pushed past her father and came clunking up the stairs, walking at the speed and pace of a marching soldier, before coming to Yang’s door and knocking upon it, and once more Yang would not notice it. He would knock again and Yang would continue to ignore it. One more knock that Yang would ignore before the door opened with a bang.

“Yang Xiao Long,” the man would say only to be ignored by Yang. It was only when he would step around to block her window that Yang realised she had not been imagining the possibility of these events happening but living through them. There before her stood General Ironwood, his tall square figure looming over her and blocking her from her window. She glanced up at his frowning face before turning her head the other way. “Oh no you don’t. Out of bed right now.”

Once more Yang ignored him. He ripped the blankets off her bed, chucking them across the room, as if doing so would somehow bring her back into the realm of the living. She merely closed her eyes and continued to ignore him. Ever the tactician, Ironwood brought his fingers up to his lips and whistled loudly. Yang frowned as she wondered what he was trying to accomplish but that became clear as the sudden padding of little feet against the wooden floor followed by excited barking filled her ears. Before Yang could react she felt a sudden weight jump up onto the side of her bed, little paws against her shoulders and the wet feeling of a tongue against her face. “Zwei. No,” she moaned trying to bat him away but with only one hand she proved unable to deflect the little dog. “Stop it boy.” The little ball of fluff refused to be deterred and continued to ravish her face with his little tongue. “Fine.” She groaned softly as she pushed herself up with her arm and into a sitting position.

“Ahhh I see you are alive after all,” Ironwood said as Zwei nestled into Yang’s lap scratching at her pyjama pants.  

“I’m alive,” Yang said her voice cracking. It had been days since she spoke more than a few words.

“But not living,” Ironwood replied turning away from her to look out her window. “Just lying here staring out this.” He tapped on the window. “Too scared to actually go out there and face the world in your… condition.” He glanced back at her, eyes honing in on her stub.

“What do you know about my condition?” Yang huffed her eyes flickering to red before fading back to their usual lilac colour. She wanted to be mad at this man for coming in here and trying to force the world back into her life. Presuming to know what she was going through. And having the nerve to barge in here, into her house, into her sanctuary from the outside world.

She also wanted to be mad at so many others. She wanted to be angry at her father for not being able to help her through this. She wanted to be outraged at Ruby for abandoning her even though her attitude of late towards her sister had been unacceptable. She wanted to be cross with Blake for running away her from her before Ruby. She wanted to be furious at Adam, the man that stole away her wholeness. And most of all she wanted to be pissed off at herself for not having the strength to drag herself out of this bed. But for once in her life anger failed Yang. Before it had been a weapon and coping mechanism. But after it had been turned around on her, used to cater towards her downfall, she could not muster it anymore. To bring herself to be angry was now a daunting task. One she seemed not to have the energy left to do.

“You think you’re the only one that’s been in this situation? That’s had to live through losing some of themselves? And then have to learn to become whole again?” Ironwood spoke, his words cutting into her like Adam’s sword. The final slice came when he turned around to face her, now with his overcoat pulled off and undercoat slid up his body to reveal his mechanical chest. He threw his glove down onto the bed by Yang’s bare feet as he flexed his mechanized arm at her. “If you think that then you are sadly mistaken Miss Xiao Long.”

“What happened to you?” Yang asked staring with big eyes up at his cybernetic self. She had only lost most of her arm but the General looked like he had lost most of his upper body along with all of his arm. Suddenly her world was put in a far more humbling perspective than it had before.

“I was foolish in my youth and attacked a Goliath,” Ironwood answered as his rigid body came to attention before her. “I let emotions cloud my mind and got in over my head. The Goliath crushed and mauled me, almost killed me and nearly ruined any chance I would have to walk again.” He tapped his right knee with his cybernetic hand and the sound of metal against metal echoed through the room. “It certainly cut short my career as a huntsman but luckily the Atlas Military saw value in me beyond my ability to walk. They recruited me for my tactical mind and with their help they gave me the tools to be whole again.”

“So what? You came here to recruit me or something? Give me the chance to be whole again?” Yang asked wondering what his angle was. She looked over at her stub of an arm before glancing back at his robotic one.

“In a manner of speaking,” Ironwood said lifting up a briefcase he held in his flesh hand. “I did not come to recruit you but I know what you and your team did before. I know the good that they and you can still do. I also know that your sister is out there doing good right now. Seems wrong that you don’t get the same opportunity as she does.” He hefted the case up onto the bed by Yang’s right side before popping the latches on it. “So I brought you this.” He pulled open the lid.

Inside the case Yang could see a grey and white coloured robotic prosthetic arm. It was encased in foam. Looking closer at the arm, Yang could see that it seemed to have spots missing, as if certain attachments could be fitted in these places. Eagerly she reached forward for it only for Ironwood’s own hand to stop her. “What gives?” Yang asked glancing up at the man.

“I’m not just going to give this to you,” he said and she frowned up at him. “Not till I know you will put it to good use. I need to know that you are willing to do this. This arm alone will not fix all your problems. It will be a hard road to walk down, one that will never stop. If you take this arm you will need to learn how to use it and that in itself is quite the journey. Even afterwards you will also need to constantly maintain it and keep it in working order. It may not be as delicate as a real flesh and blood arm but it is even higher maintenance. I need to know right now that you are not just going to take this gift for granted. You can’t be like this.” He pointed at her sitting in bed. “If I give you this. You need to be not afraid to get on out there and show the world it can’t keep you here. That you yourself refuse to allow this to beat you. Otherwise this arm is all but useless. I need you to make me believe that this will not be wasted on you.”

Yang bowed her head, glancing down at her lap. Zwei, still seated there looked back up at her. He panted, opening his mouth and sticking out his tongue, giving her the dog equivalent of a smile. Yang nodded at the ball of fluff before looking up at Ironwood her eyes narrowing. “I’m ready to get up,” she said, a fire awakening inside those eyes of hers. “And I always get up stronger. I won’t let this keep me down.”

“Good, I believe you,” Ironwood said grasping the new prosthetic arm out from the case before pushing the case aside. He kneeled on the bed beside Yang, bringing the arm up towards her bandage. “Brace yourself Miss Xiao Long,” he instructed undoing the bandages. “This is going to hurt. A lot.” Yang nodded her head as the bandages came away before the cold metal of the prosthetic arm was pushed up against her. Ironwood pulled out his scroll and connected it with a cord to the arm before activating the arm.

“Ah,” Yang gasped feeling a cold spray from the arm up against her wound before a sharp pain laced up her arm stub. She felt metal dig into her flesh, penetrating the wound and intertwining with her remaining flesh. Wires shot up through her and connecting with her nerve system as metal melded onto her bones. Zwei gave a whimper from her lap as he watched Yang go stiff and cover her mouth with her other hand to muffle the scream that left her lips. The arm sealed itself around her outer flesh before clicking into place and going limp. Yang let out a small sigh as the pain ceased. It felt decisively uncomfortable, cold metal against her warm skin and inside her body. Yang looked over it and found it was oddly sized perfectly for her body. “How did you get the right size for me?”

“Your friend, the younger Schnee sister, stole a copy of your medical files from the Vale hospital before her father came for her. She ensured I received a copy of them and even offered to pay for your new arm. You have a good friend in her,” Ironwood said glancing down at his scroll. “Looks like the arm has adapted properly to your body. Now to turn it on. It will take some time for you to learn to control this.”

Yang felt a slight buzz of electricity surge through her as Ironwood pressed a button on his scroll. Her mechanical fingers twitched to life one by one before they started to respond to her own commands. It was just like moving her old hand but more janky and uncoordinated. She found it not difficult to will her fingers to move but rather hard to control how they move. “This is freaky,” Yang said her eyes locked on those robotic digits. “I can’t actually feel them. I feel so… detached from them.”

“Feeling will come with time, for now just concentrate on moving them,” Ironwood instructed as he adjusted the sensitivity of the arm through his scroll. Slowly her control got better as he fidgeted with the settings. “In time you will also learn how to move your whole hand and your arm just like you used to. Maybe even better if you really train with it. For now though you have a lot of work to do.” Ironwood got up from the bed and taking the case with him walked towards the door. “Get dressed and meet me down stairs. Your training begins in five minutes. I have a lot to teach you.”

“Wait…” Yang said turning to him as he paused in the doorway. She handed him the glove he had discarded. "Do you ever feel… whole again? I mean even with the arm and…”

“No, not really, but you learn to live with it,” Ironwood said taking his glove back. “And in time you find that you don’t need to feel whole anymore to feel like you are living again.” With that said he left Yang behind in her room. As he walked down the stairs, heading to have a short talk with her father, Ironwood felt a sharp pain in his chest. His heart went out to young Yang Xiao Long. She had a long and difficult journey ahead of her. Even after she learned to use that arm properly. He knew her journey to feel alive again would not end there. That desire to be whole would ever remain, he knew from personal experience that this was the case. He also knew that a girl like her would not give up. She had the determination to get through this, all she need was a push from him. One he was more than ready to give.


	3. The Journey Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The young heiress has learnt much of the world outside her home but now trapped in it she can do nothing more than reflect on her last few moments back in Vale. She remembers the last minute mission she was sent on and the ones she was forced to leave behind. Longing to be with them once more she wishes for a way to escape her father’s cage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: And in this chapter we see how close I can get to shipping ice flower/white rose without it actually happening. Wink.

**Chapter 3:** The Journey Home

“Again,” called the voice of the young heiress. The robotic knight before her clunked back together as it lifted up off the ground, grasping it’s sword before swinging at her again. Once more the white haired girl dodged past it and the sword stroke went wide. She struck back with her own sword, hitting the knight harder than she had the first time she had faced it. Her time at Beacon had done nothing but bolster her fighting skills. She now not only struck harder, faster and with more skill but she moved like the wind. That big clumsy knight could not lay a finger on her.

All the while Weiss dashed around it, laying into it with her sword. Strike after strike. She was a whirlwind around the knight as it struggled to even keep up with her. She catapulted herself around it with her glyphs. Many things could be attributed to Weiss’ new found skill against the night. Her training at Beacon, experience in the field, time and practice, but only one sung true. It was her team mates that had gotten Weiss to the level of skill she was at right now. Not just training with them or fighting by their side but being around them in everyday situations. They had given her the courage and drive to push herself further. To fight not just with the styles she had grown up learning but others too.

Right now as she strafed around the knight’s blows, landing multiple hits with her sword before rebounding off a glyphs and shooting back at the knight, she was using what she considered a variation of Ruby’s fighting style. Speed was the key component here. And although this technique would be better suited for the scythe Ruby wielded, Weiss found she could adapt her sword play well enough to make up the difference. Only once she had the knight thrown off balance by her peppering of slices did Weiss move in for the kill. She dashed straight up to the knight, ducking under the sideways cut. The revolving chamber of her sword spun around, coming up red before she struck upwards, knocking the knight back. As it stumbled away from her the sword in it’s hand went flying off to the side.

The knight was fast to recover, running back at her and going for the same punch that had given Weiss her scar, but the young girl had seen this coming a mile away. She was already in motion even before the knight had moved towards her. She catapulted herself back, tumbling out of the way of the punch, in a very Blake like fashion, only without leaving behind the image for the knight to punch. Instead it connected with thin air as Weiss landed back on her feet. The knight came charging forward at her but once more Weiss was ready for it. A glyph appeared around her feet as the knight neared her. Her sword glowed, building up with power, and only once it was at full strength did she strike at the knight. In a move that would have made Yang jealous of how hard she hit, the knight was thrown back by Weiss’ strikes. 

With a grunt, Weiss forced Myrtenaster down into the ground and ice shards thundered towards the knight. They struck the robotic enemy, freezing it in place and lifting it off the ground. Before the knight could even try to break the ice, Weiss cast a group of glyphs upon it, binding the metal limbs in place. The knight was left dangling there, frozen and held in place by the glyphs. It was completely helpless. Now was Weiss’ time to finish off her foe. A new glyph formed behind her, twisting and turning, blinking and flashing as something appeared in the centre of the glyph. Almost there. Just a little more and Weiss would do it. Focusing, she willed her summon into being before stepping aside.

A white flash shot out from her glyph before changing into a ball of blue and white that rolled across the floor towards the knight. It shattered through the trail of ice as it blazed a path up towards the stuck knight and slamming against it with full force. The glyphs holding the knight failed and it fell to the floor, surrounded by shards of ice, it lay not just defeated upon the ground but broken down into cracked pieces. The ball bounced back towards Weiss and landed by her side in the familiar form of a Boarbatusks. The one she had defeated in class, which felt like it had happened a life time ago. Especially after what had happened with the Battle of Beacon.

“Very good work Weiss,” a voice called from her side followed by the sound of heels clicking against the hard floor. “Interesting form but excellent summon.”

“Winter!” Weiss exclaimed as she turned to the woman walking up to her. She stumbled slightly as she tried to reach out to her but Winter caught her. “You’re back.”

“Settle girl,” Winter said steadying her younger sister. “You look exhausted. How many times have you been fighting that old training dummy this morning?”

“A few times,” Weiss answered only for her older sister to glare down at her. “Seven… or eight… maybe ten… a dozen at most.”

“Well it has certainly paid off. You finished that fight off with devastating efficiency and with a summon too. I see your time back here at home has not been wasted,” Winter said glancing off at the broken knight.

“It’s been so long since I last saw you Winter,” Weiss exclaimed, almost giddy with excitement at the return of her sister. “What’s been happening out there? With the CCT down I have not heard much of what is happening in the outside world. Dad has not exactly made it easy for me to talk to anyone else that has left Atlas.”

“Yes. I had heard he had you on a tight leash,” Winter said her eyes glancing back at Weiss. “Alright I will tell you what has happened since we last saw one another in Vale.”

Weiss nodded her head, eagerly awaiting news but also thinking back to what had happened in Vale the last time she had seen Winter. It had been over two months ago. Yet, Weiss remembered it like it was yesterday. It was the night of the Battle of Beacon. Weiss had been at the Vale City hospital right in the middle of one of the biggest medical emergencies in recent history. The casualty rate after the battle had been high but the injury rate was even higher. Hospital staff rushed past Weiss in all directions as she made her way out into the waiting room. Here around her were her fellow students, both from Beacon and from abroad, at least those of them that were not injured. These were the ones suffering from exhaustion and with friends currently in the inner depths of the hospital fighting for their lives.

The mood here was rather sombre. No one spoke and most of them were either too drained from fighting to speak or had no words left to express what had just happened. There across the room, Weiss spied her. Winter stood talking to one of the poor hospital staff members that she had managed to corner. She looked like she was giving the man a real run around to. She had him cowering up against the wall. Weiss made her way over towards the pair. “…eiss Schnee,” Winter said pointing at the man. “All I want is to go get her. She’s visiting Ruby Rose, who I know for a fact is currently merely under observation.”

“I’m sorry Ma’am but as I have told you already only family members and those approved by said members can go into the…”

“I’m here Winter,” Weiss spoke up, drawing her sister’s attention towards her and giving the poor man a chance to slip away from under her sister’s heel. “I’m fine.”

“I’m glad to see that,” Winter said breathing a sigh of relief. “But you need to come with me right now.”

“But my friends are…”

“Now Weiss,” Winter snapped and dragged her away by her upper arm.

“What is going on?” Weiss exclaimed as she was lugged out of the waiting room and down an abandoned hallway.

“A lot more than I have time to explain,” Winter said leading her sister further down the hall. “I came here from Atlas the moment I saw what was happening. But before I left our father was preparing to come down here himself. As an Atlas Specialist I have priority clearance to land here but that can’t have brought us much time at all.”

“Father is coming here?”

“Yes and he is coming to take you back home.”

“Winter. You can’t let him do that. I can’t leave R…”

“There is nothing I can do to stop him, at least not now. But there’s something more important we have to do before he gets here,” Winter said as they approached a side door. She glanced up and down the hall before rapping on the door three times, twice in rapid secession and a third time after a longer pause. The door opened and Weiss was shoved in there by her sister before she could even notice what was going on. Her sister followed in after her, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Inside was what appeared to be a moderately sized supply room, full of cleaning materials mostly. The person that had opened the door appeared to be a dark skinned girl wearing a blue beret. “Specialist Schnee,” she said saluting Winter.

“At ease Cadet Soleil and return to watching the door,” Winter said rushing Weiss further into the room.

“Yes Ma’am,” Cadet Soleil replied and returned to her post.

Near the back of the room, Weiss was led towards General Ironwood, who sat on a supply box. He had a screwdriver in his left hand and appeared to be adjusting some part of his cybernetic right sided chest. He glanced up as Winter and Weiss arrived before him. “Schnee,” he said glancing from the older sister to the younger. “Or Schnees rather.” He regarded them for a moment. “Our time frame has shifted. We need to be out of the city in the next few minutes. It will not be long before any Atlesian forces left here start being turned upon. After what happened with the broadcast…”

“Sir, we still have that last thing to do,” Winter reminded him.

“Right,” Ironwood said placing his screwdriver to the side. He turned to face Weiss. “Miss Schnee. I need you to go deliver a message to Qrow. We know that he is with his nieces now but I need his authorisation to…”

“Qrow’s not there anymore General,” Weiss interrupted. “After Yang came out of surgery he took off. Left me alone by Ruby’s side and said he would be back later. I was still waiting for him to come back when Sun came and told me that there was a woman looking for me.” She glanced over at Winter.

“Blast,” General Ironwood exclaimed smacking his metal hand down against his knee. The ringing sound of steel against steel filled the room. “Where has the drunken fool gone off to now? Oh well doesn’t matter. We don’t have time to mess around finding him. Schnee.” He turned now to Winter. “Are you sure we can’t bully our way past to get the access we need?”

“If I could we would already be gone,” Winter answered shaking her head. “Sir, are you sure this is really a priority right now? We are already over staying our welcome here. We should have left the moment the City was secured and handed this off to the Vale forces.”

“This is important Schnee,” General Ironwood said flexing his mechanised arm.

“I understand Sir,” Winter replied. “In that case, may I recommend moving onto plan b?” She nodded over at Weiss.

“Are you sure she is up for this?” General Ironwood asked looking Weiss’ way as well.

“I have full confidence in her ability and I can assure you she can be trusted Sir,” Winter said and Weiss could not help the small smile that came over her face at the praise from her sister. “Besides, she has a personal stake in the success of this operation. I know she will pull through on this.”

“We also have no other option,” General Ironwood said. After a moment of careful consideration he nodded his head. “Alright. Give her the data pack.”

“Give me your scroll Weiss,” Winter said holding out her hand.

Weiss handed it over as she glanced at Ironwood. “I don’t understand. What’s happening?” Weiss asked as her sister started tapping at the scroll.

“We need something from the hospital here. A file from their server but without Qrow’s access they won’t grant us the file. So we need to get creative,” Ironwood explained. He pulled out his own scroll and pressing a button made a holographic 3D model of the hospital appear before him. “The file we need is located up here on this secure server.” The model zoomed in on a high tower at the back of the hospital. “Now the file is relatively fresh so it will not have been logged into the back up servers yet. That would be a much more simple retrieval.”

“So you want me to get you this file?” Weiss asked glancing at the marker at the top of the tower. “How?”

“Rather easily actually,” Ironwood replied as the image panned down the tower. “You see here is the observation patient rooms, almost directly below the tower. We need someone with access to these rooms to scale the tower from here. You are on the list of approved visitors to Ruby Rose. We have also gathered from the limited access we have to their unsecured servers that her room is located here, right next to the tower.” A marker appeared on one of the windows in that block of rooms. “We could not ask for a more perfect placement.”

“Isn’t there some other way to get this file?” Weiss asked looking at the long climb she would have to attempt.

“Unfortunately not in the time frame we have remaining,” Winter answered handing Weiss her scroll back. “The program is set to run. All you need to do is plug it into one of the computers at the top of that tower. It will recognise the server, copy the file and in moments be ready to be retrieved. You can then smuggle this data back into Atlas when Father comes to collect you.”

“From there you will hand it off to me,” General Ironwood said. “I will ensure a meeting occurs with your father the moment you touch down so that the data can be discreetly retrieved. This mission is a personal one but a dangerous one too. Should you be caught in this area you will be in a considerable amount of trouble with no one to bail you out of it. We will of course deny all accountability for this should you try to link this operation to us.”

“Which you will not do,” Winter said looking sternly down upon her sister. “We are already under enough fire after that broadcast. The last thing we need is to be caught pulling off an operation around a server containing valuable Vale data including medical files on most of their military forces. I am sure if caught you can come up with a good lie Weiss. Use your age and the recent events to your advantage. Emotional outbursts may well blind a guard to your true intentions and even buy you sympathy.”

“I’ll be sure to… keep that in mind Winter,” Weiss said. She was unsure how she felt about doing this now. It sounded very risky for something she knew virtually nothing about. “What is on this file? Why do you need to have it?”

“As I said before it’s for personal reasons,” Ironwood replied casting his eye up at Winter before looking back at Weiss. “What I can tell you now is that it is for someone you know well and consider a good friend. Once this is all said and done I hope it will help them immensely. But I need the file first. Do you think you can do this Miss Schnee?”

She glanced over at Winter by her side. Seeing the look in her sister’s eyes, she gazed back to the General. “You can count on me Sir,” Weiss said.

“Good. Schnee, accompany her out and then make final preparations to leave. I want us off the ground in fifteen,” Ironwood ordered reaching back over for his screwdriver.

Weiss was led back out to the door, which the cadet opened for them. “I’m proud of you Snowflake,” Winter said and Weiss did a double take at the use of such an old nickname. Winter pulled her into a hug before whispering in her ear. “It might be a while before I get to see you again and you’ll be under father’s heel for a while but I swear things will get better.”

“Thanks Winter,” Weiss whispered back holding her close. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Winter said leaning back. “Now get out there and complete your mission, soldier.”

Weiss smiled as she bid her sister goodbye before turning on her heel and leaving the room behind her. She hurried back to the waiting room and out towards the patient observation rooms. Here she was delayed by a small security checkpoint. She had wondered beforehand why this hospital had such a high amount of security but after learning of the secure servers it made sense. If medical data on most of Vale’s armed forces was included on those servers that made this not just a civilian hospital but a military asset too. Weiss was a little annoyed that she was forced to leave Myrtenaster at the checkpoint but no weapons were allowed past it.

“What’s going on?” Sun asked glancing over from Ruby as Weiss entered the room.

“Nothing much,” Weiss said glancing over at Ruby. “Has she…”

“Not yet,” Sun said shaking his head. “But a nurse just came by. Said that her vitals were improving. She’s going to be fine. Just you know… a bit out of it for a while longer.”

“Good,” Weiss said as she hurriedly tried to think of a way to get rid of Sun. She considered telling him of what was going on but she had a feeling that Winter would not approve. If Ruby had been awake Weiss would have probably told her, approval from her sister or not. “Could you give us the room for a while?”

“Why?”

“I just…” Come on Weiss, think of something smart. “Need to say something to her.”

“While she is unconscious?” Sun asked looking at Weiss like she had grown another head. “Why would you need to…”

“It’s important,” Weiss said interrupting him. “I really need to tell her something if she is awake or not.” Sun still did not look like he was buying it. “Listen Sun…” She had to think hard. What could she say to convince him to leave the room? “It’s something private…” Good start but she needed to lay the kicker on him. Convince him that this could not wait. “I need to tell her something I have been putting off telling her for a long while and I…” He looked to be hooked on her story but now Weiss needed to lay on the urgency of this issue. “I won’t have the opportunity to tell her this for a long time. My father is coming to get me and I really need to get this off my chest. I need to tell Ruby how I feel about…”

“Say no more,” Sun said throwing up his hands and getting out of the chair by Ruby’s side. “I’ll leave you alone to confess whatever you want to her.”

“It may take some time,” Weiss said as Sun walked towards the door. Her face was burning red, she felt like she was about to pass out from the amount of blood rushing to her cheeks. “For me to… you know… tell her how I…”

“Gotcha,” Sun said opening the door. “I’ll go back and wait with everyone else. Make sure none of them disturb you two and your… you know.” As the door closed behind him Sun wiped his hand over his forehead. “How am I going to break this to Neptune?”

The moment he left, Weiss let out a long sigh. “Sorry about that Ruby,” she said turning to the unconscious girl. “That’s going to probably cause some embarrassment for us down the line but it’s the best I could come up with in the moment.” Ruby silently laid there, unmoving and unaffected by Weiss’ words. “I really hope this file is worth it.” She started to walk over to the window only to pause as she passed by Ruby’s cloak that was hanging from a chair. “Can I borrow…” Weiss stopped talking midsentence as she realised Ruby was still unable to answer her. “I’ll bring it back.”

She lifted the cloak off the chair before pulling it on around her. Adjusting the hood she saw in the reflection of the window that it hid most of her face from view. “Perfect,” Weiss said pushing open the window. The red would make her more visible but at least the hood would keep her identity hidden should someone catch a glance of her. Also the cloak was very warm against the cold night air as she climbed out the window. As an added bonus it smelt really nice too. Like rose petals. With a small hand motion she created a glyph to stand on outside the window. Leaping up, Weiss propelled herself over towards the tower before creating another glyph to bounce back off of and on to a second glyph and then further up to another glyph. She repeated this action all the way up to the top of the tower.

Reaching the top floor with Ruby’s cloak billowing in the wind she hovered before a window on a glyph. Her nimble fingers quickly pulled the window up before sliding in under the pane of glass. Pulling out her scroll, Weiss used it to light up the dark room. She found herself in a sea of desk cubicles. Weiss smiled as she saw a computer at each station, she had her pick of whichever one she desired. Going to the closest one, she turned it on and plugged in her scroll. As the computer booted up the software on the scroll took over, overriding the password, accessing the server and searching for the file.   “Come on,” Weiss chanted to herself as she watched the programme look through the whole data bank. It was still locating the file when the sound of footsteps made Weiss jump. They were outside the room and coming dangerously close.

The rattling of keys in a lock and appearance of shadows at the bottom of the door made Weiss panic. The file was still being looked for. She considered unplugging her scroll and running for it but she would never be able to sneak out through the window in time. Acting fast she turned off the computer screen and turned the face of her scroll down against the desk to hide the light. Moments later the door opened and a pair of security guards waltzed in. They shined their flashlights around the room, searching for anything out of the ordinary. “Look over there,” one of them said pointing towards the open window from which Weiss had entered. “Think someone got in?”

“Probably just one of the cleaners leaving it open to air the place out,” the other guard said. “But let’s do a full room search just to be sure.”

“Alright boss,” the first one said and they split up to look through the room.

The room itself was small but there were many places to hide in and between the cubicles. After ten minutes of the guards searching through every nook and cranny with their flashlights they met back at the open window. “No one here,” said the second one as the first one closed the window. “Come on. Let’s finish our sweep.”

“Right behind you,” the other said before following his partner towards the door.

Weiss breathed a sigh of relief as they locked the door behind them. Only once she could not hear their footsteps anymore did she cancel the glyph holding her up onto the roof and fall back down to the ground. She had been lucky that neither of them shined their lights up at the ceiling for if they did they might have seen a red cloaked woman hanging there, mere meters from their heads. She was also lucky that Ruby’s cloak was so effective at hiding the light from her glyph. Picking up her scroll she saw that the file had not only been located but copied over too. She turned off the computer, unplugged her scroll and exited back through the window. For a secure tower the oversight of not having locked windows was a small but thankful one, Weiss thought as she resecured the window before falling down through the night air. She created a glyph right before the open window below her to catch herself.  

Stepping back into Ruby’s room she was glad to see that the room was still empty. Glancing over at the pale girl, lying in that hospital bed she saw that her skin was covered in goose bumps. Looking back at the open window, Weiss gasped. “Sorry Ruby,” she said hurriedly closing the opening out to the cold night air. “I forgot about that.” She pulled off the cloak and went to wrap it around Ruby. Her fingers felt the cold skin of the other girl with only the thin blankets and even thinner dressing gown to protect her from the cold. “You’re freezing!”

Weiss guiltily looked around the room. Even now wrapped in her cloak, Ruby looked almost blue from the cold. Biting her bottom lip, she climbed into bed with the girl before wrapping her warm body around the shivering other. “Don’t worry Ruby. I’ll keep you warm.” Weiss knew she did not have much time left here with Ruby. Her father would be here for her shortly but she figured that as long as she was here the least she could do was keep her teammate, her partner, her leader, her… friend, warm. Especially since it was her fault in the first place that Ruby nearly turned into an icicle. “Wake up soon Ruby,” Weiss whispered into the young girl’s ear. “I nee… we all need you.” Ruby did not say a word in response but Weiss swore she saw a faint smile come over those lips as she snuggled further into the unconscious girl.

“… are still high between us and the other kingdoms but at least war is not on the horizon. Well not quite yet anyway,” Winter said finishing explaining to Weiss the events of the outside world.

“Have you heard anything about my old teammates?” Weiss asked a hopeful look in her eyes.

“Not much. With the CCT still down it is hard for me to stay informed on the smaller matters but I did meet briefly with General Ironwood almost a month back. He was on his way to visit the Xiao Long residences. I see you got him that data file and even offered to pitch in money wise once you learned what the file was for,” Winter said and Weiss nodded back at her. “Noble of you. He did inform me of a piece of gossip he had picked up. It seems Ruby Rose and a group of your former classmates have set off on some journey east. For what or to where I have no idea but they are certainly out there doing something.”

“I’m relieved to hear Ruby is back on her feet,” Weiss said and found that those words rung more true than she had thought they would. “I just wish I could be there with her.”

“Yes. It’s unfortunate that there is little you can do to escape father’s influence,” Winter said looking pointedly at Weiss. “Even more unfortunate I myself have to leave almost immediately. I have to go down south and meet with General Ironwood. I need to be briefed on my next assignment. But first, how about you come with me and I will show you a few things?” She glanced over at the smashed remains of the training knight. “Give you a few advanced pointers.”

“Alright,” Weiss said and followed along after her sister.

* * *

 

It was a late sunset that found Winter out on her family’s main landing platform. Around her the androids moved her cargo onto her ship as she prepared to leave. She felt a presence walk up behind her. “Daughter,” came the deep voice of her father. “A shame you could not stay for longer.”

“Yes Father,” Winter said turning around to face the man. “But you know my job keeps me busy. Moving from place to place all the time.”

“You know you could work somewhere closer to home,” he suggested for what must have been the seventh time since Winter had come back here. “There are plenty of corporate jobs going in the company.”

“I’ve told you already Father,” Winter said barely managing to contain her frustration. “I don’t want to work for you. I want to pursue my own career. Make my own mark on the world.”

“You’re just like your younger sister,” scoffed the older man, shaking his head.  

“No Father,” Winter said with a tone of amusement. “Don’t you see? We, the both of us, we take after you. Your forefathers might have made the Schnee Dust Company but you brought it into the modern age. When people think of modern dust trade and mining they think of you Father. That is your mark on the world. All we want to do is leave our own mark in our own way.”

“I see,” he said though his tone still sounded disapproving. “That’s an awful lot of dust you are taking with you.” He glanced over to the oversized crate that the androids were loading onto the airship.

“Careful with that!” Winter called to them as they almost dropped it before securing it in place. “Supply lines have become limited since our reputation outside of Atlas has deteriorated. I find it best these days to be over stocked with dust than under stocked.”

“Yes, international sales have fallen after recent events,” her father said nodding his head. “I suppose that will be all?”

“Yes, goodbye Father,” Winter said turning to the man.

“Farewell Winter,” he said. “You know I am surprised Weiss is not here to see you off.”

“We already said goodbye earlier,” Winter said turning back to her airship. “I believe she is still annoyed at your coddling of her.”

“It’s for her own good,” he claimed as Winter walked away.

“I am sure it is Father,” Winter murmured under her breath as she boarded the airship. In moments she was up in the air, flying away from her family estate. She breathed a sigh of great relief as she put her father far behind her. “I told you it would work.”

“These are some interesting pointers you are giving me,” Weiss said as she crawled out from the large crate the androids had loaded aboard Winter’s ship.

“Pointers on how to sneak away from our father is my specialty,” Winter said stifling a chuckle as Weiss strapped herself into the co-pilot’s seat. “Next up is how to siphon off money from your trust account into another account without him or the bank noticing.”

“I’ve been doing that since I came home,” Weiss said with a smirk. “I’m guessing he will cut me off soon enough.”

“Moment he gets back to his computer and finds my note telling him what we just did,” Winter said flicking buttons across the dashboard. “You won’t be alone though. He’ll cut me off again too.”

“Does he do this often?” Weiss asked as she watched the scenery below them zoom by.

“Enough that he has a computer shortcut that switches my account access on and off,” Winter replied.

“Really?”

“Not that I know of but I would not be surprised if he did,” Winter answered as she brought up the navigation software. “Let’s see. General Ironwood sent coordinates for me to meet him here on this island. I believe it is called Patch. So where would you like me to take you? I can swing by Vale before meeting the General.”

Weiss grinned at her sister’s words. “Patch will do just fine,” she said. “I want to see how Yang is coming along with the new arm. Maybe she knows where Ruby went.” Weiss could only hope that was the case as she flew off with her sister by her side. Behind her was not only her father but her home too. Not that it had felt like home in a long time. No. Weiss’ home was out there somewhere. Scattered and divided but she would be damned if she would let them remain that way. She swore that by the end of this she would reunite her team if it was the last thing she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: Well that’s a wrap for this short story but never fear I have a sequel in the works already.


End file.
